WASHINGTON — In an interview with Capitol Hill's Roll Call, 6th District GOP candidate Tom Emmer didn't discourage comparisions to retiring Rep. Michele Bachmann but said he's looking to win on his own merits next year.
Emmer's short Q&A is light on new details, except that he's apparently decided on an early response to questions about how he stacks up against the Tea Party favorite he's looking to replace.
Emmer:"I am who I am. I could never fill Michele Bachmann’s shoes. She’s represented the people of the 6th District as well as anyone who has represented the people of the 6th District. If I’m fortunate enough to get through the endorsement process, and then if I’m fortunate enough to get elected to Congress and represent the people of the 6th District, they have expectations. I will try and honor those expectations. They want the people that they elect, that they hire to serve them, to understand what that means — to serve them not their own interests. I don’t know if that makes me like Mark Kennedy or it makes me like Michele Bachmann."
He used that same comparision — "I’m not trying to be Mark Kennedy, I’m not trying to be Michele Bachmann"— later on in the interview. Kennedy represented the 6th for two terms before losing a U.S. Senate race to Amy Klobuchar in 2006.
Emmer also praised the GOP endorsement process — he's pledged to abide by the endorsement— and told Roll Call he wouldn't be opposed to riding Washington's Metro to work if he's elected to Congress.
The whole interview is here.
Devin Henry can be reached at dhenry@minnpost.com.